Measuring device for towing winches



Juiy 27, 1948. e. w. ROYSTER MEASURING DEVICE FOR TOW'iNG WINCHES FiledMarch 8, 1945 INVENTOR.

Patente d July 27, 1948 PATENT OFFICE MEASURING DEVICE FOR TOWINGWINCHES George William Royster, Portsmouth, Va. Application March 8,1945, Serial No. 581,616

1 Claim.

This invention relates to towing winches of the ordinary type such asshown, for example, in Patent No. 1,946,145, although it is to beunderstood that the improvements can be associated with ordinary winchesof other construction.

While means have been employed thus far for the purpose of automaticallypaying out the tow line as necessary for the purpose of relieving theline from excessive and sudden tensile strains, it has been found inpractically all of these devices that the point is sometimes reachedwhen no further relief can be given and, as a result, the tow line hasbroken, frequently with disastrous results.

To overcome these objections it has been the practice to station a manby the winch for the purpose of observing its action. It has happened,however, that the man has not been on duty or has had some distractionat the time when sudden relief other than that afforded automatically,has been necessary.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indicating meanswhich does not require the presence of an attendant at the winch but,instead, the tensile strain to which the tow line is being subjected canbe indicated constantly at a convenient point in the pilot house so thatas the strain is increased ample notice will be had whereby orders canbe given to release the tow line.

Another object is to provide an indicating mechanism of this type whichcan also be observed by a person located at the winch.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has beenshown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a view showing, more or less in diagram, thecomplete indicating mechanism as applying to a winch mechanism, aportion of which has been shown.

Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, of the indicator attachmentlocated at the winch.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a portion of a winch mechanism of theJohnson type to which the present improvements have been applied in thepresent case.

Referrin to the figures by characters of reference A designates the drumshaft of a winch mechanism which is journaled in a suitable supportingstructure, such as frame 13 and this shaft is adapted to be rotated by agear C receiving motion through suitable driving mechanism, a portion ofwhich has been indicated at D, from a prime mover which can be anelectric motor not shown. A brake wheel member E is loosely mounted onthe shaft A and can be operatively connected through planetary gears,not shown, with the shaft A and with the drum member not shown. Thisbrake member is engaged by a brake band F the end portions of which arenormally pressed toward each other by a spring G mounted on a rod I-Ione end of which is anchored. to one end of the brake band while theother end of the brake band is mounted to slide on the rod. The springis held under restraint by an abutment I fixed to the rod so that saidspring thus exerts a constant pressure on the brake band which serves tohold said band normally compressed about the wheel member E.

Rod H is also mounted for sliding movement in a post J but this movementis resisted by a spring K thrustin against the post and also against ahead L on the rod, The rod is connected to a control means indicatedgenerally at M such as shown, for example, in the patent mentioned, bymeans of which the gripping action of the brake band can be varied toincrease or reduce the resistance offered to the movement of rod H.

The mechanism thus far described is not new but has been shown in thepatent hereinbefore referred to. The present improvements are adaptableto that structure and include an elongated housing I which enclose-s rodH and the parts cooperating therewith This housing has a longitudinalslot 2 in which is slidably mounted an arm 3 which is joined to andextended laterally from one end portion of the brake band. Extended fromthe arm 3 is a rack 4 which is parallel with the housing I and has anindex or pointer 5 projecting therefrom and overlying and movable alonga series of graduations ti on the housing and designed to indicatedefinite degrees of tensile strain. Normally this index is locatedadjacent to one end of the series of graduations.

Rack 4 is in constant engagement with a gear 1 secured to the shaft of aSelsyn generator indicated generally at 8. This generator is wired to aSelsyn motor receiver 9 located in the pilot house N or at any otherconvenient point on the ship carrying the winch mechanism, Theelectrical connection between the two dynamo-electric machines includesa suitable connector box H].

In practice the tensile strain to which the tow line leading from thewinch is subjected will at all times be indicated by the index 5 andgraduations 6 and changes in the position of the index due to rotarymotion of the brake band caused by excesssive pulls upon the winch bythe tow line, will result in transmission of motion from rack to theSelsyn generator and this will set up a duplicate operation of theSelsyn motor receiver. Thus persons in the vicinity of the receiver 9can always ascertain what'tensilestrains are being applied to the towline and should a danger point be reached a signal can immediately begiven to release the line at the winch. Of course the same informationis always available to any person standing adjacent to the winch becauseof the provision of the indicating means 5 and 6.

What is claimed is:

The combination 'With winch mechanism jincluding a brake wheel, andwheel restraining means including Ia brake band embracing the wheel, anda spring positioned normally to hold the band and wheel in tightengagement and yieldingly against movement, of a longitudinally slottedhousing for the spring, said housing being graduated, a rack mounted formovement longitudinally of and outside the housing, an indicatorintegral with the rack and overlying the graduations, a rigid connectionbetween the rack and restraining means movable'in the slot, '2, gearactuated by the rack, and a'n'electri'c indicator circuit including aSelsyn generator actuated by the gear.

GEORGE WILLIAM ROYSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file'ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hansen .-Au;g. 6, 194'!)

